Synopses & Reviews
Over the past twenty years, England and Wales have witnessed many changes to probation governance aimed at shifting control to the central government. However, the changes introduced under the Coalition Government’s 2013 Transforming Rehabilitation (TR) agenda are unprecedented: probation has been divided and partially privatized. This topical book looks at the attitudes of probation practitioners and managers toward the philosophy, values, and practicalities of TR. Based on a unique online survey of over 1,300 respondents that found practitioners were unequivocally opposed to TR’s broad aims and objectives, Privatising Probation provides unique insights into the true beliefs of probation staff and how they deliver these services. Including broader discussion of the privatization and marketization debate and placing the privatization of criminal justice services and questions of legitimacy and governance in context, this book is essential reading for everyone interested in the future of probation.
Review
“This captivating and important work intelligently evaluates the effects of Transforming Rehabilitation upon both the legitimacy and governance of the probation sector and the ethos and ideals of probation work.”
Review
“A very timely, interesting, and challenging study, the first to explore in depth staff concerns about Transforming Rehabilitation and its implications for probation values and practice.”
Review
“At a time of unprecedented change for probation this book provides thought-provoking responses from the inside. The research findings and critical analysis provide a unique vantage point which merits wide readership.”
Synopsis
Over the past 20 years, there have been many changes to probation governance in England and Wales aimed at controlling it from central government. However, the changes introduced under the Transforming Rehabilitation (TR) agenda, introduced in 2013, are unprecedented: the service has been divided and part-privatised and no longer exists as a unified public body. This topical book looks at the attitudes of probation practitioners and managers to the philosophy, values, and practicalities of TR. Based on a unique online survey of over 1300 respondents which found that they were unequivocally opposed to its broad aims and objectives, it provides unique insights into the values, attitudes and beliefs of probation staff and their delivery of services. Including broader discussion of the privatisation/marketisation debate, the context of privatisation of criminal justice services and questions of legitimacy and governance, this is essential reading for everyone interested in the future of the service.
About the Author
John Deering is a senior lecturer in criminology and criminal justice at the University of South Wales. He is a coeditor of What Else Works: Creative Work with Offenders and Sex Offenders: Punish, Help, Change or Control?.Martina Feilzer is a senior lecturer in criminology and criminal justice at Bangor University.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Respondent views on the purposes and values of the probation service
Is this the end of an ideal?
Prospects for the future
Subsequent events